Aquila’s ‘The Tempest’ a captivating performance

"We are the stuff that dream are made of." Though not the meaning of the quote, these words spoken by Prospero convey a sense of the performance of "The Tempest" given by the Aquila Theater Company on Saturday at the Lied Center. The play, indeed, seemed like a dream. It is a story of deception, revenge, love, and magic written by William Shakespeare in 1610 and brought to the stage in 1611. Though Shakespeare's last play, "The Tempest" is one of his most famous and best.

The play begins with a shipwreck lit by a gloomy blue light. The light gives the correct mood of disaster and anticipation for what is to happen afterwards. This is a notable moment of the performance because the reaction it got from the audience, and how the mood was conveyed. The second significant moment of the night is the waking of "the wedding party" on the beach. The conversation between the four characters keeps you on the edge of your seat, trying to follow the dialogue. The performers went off of one another's lines very well, considering how difficult the dialogue and the language was.

The most notable performer was Richard Sheridan Willis, who played Prospero. His voice was strong, and he made each word clear and distinct. His performance was captivating, and he was able to make the audience believe that he was actually Prospero and not just another actor. This is always a difficult goal to come by for any actor. The other actors performed just as well as Willis and are all obviously very well-trained when it comes to their voices. Each person's performance was brought confidently to the stage and affected the audience in all of the right ways.

Overall, the performance was captivating, beautifully staged, and well-performed. If you ever get the chance to watch the group, you will be taken aback by its talent and originality.